What can I do on my turn?

What can I do on my turn?

One of the most common questions I hear from new D&D players is: “What can I actually do on my turn?” Sure, you’re encouraged to try anything—but what does that really look like when it comes to the rules?

Let’s break it down.

When combat begins, the DM will ask you to roll for initiative. After that, your turn has a few key parts: movement, an action, and sometimes a bonus action or a reaction.

Movement is simple: you can move up to your speed. For instance, if you have a speed of 30 feet, you could move 15 feet, attack, and then move the remaining 15 feet. You don’t have to do it all at once.

Actions are what you do with your turn. This can be an attack with a sword or a spell, sure—but there’s a lot more. You could:

Dash to move faster.
Disengage to slip away from danger.
Dodge to focus on defense.
Help another player succeed.
Hide to avoid notice.
Search for something crucial.
Use an Object—like pulling a lever or drinking a potion.

Some things don’t even require an action—like drawing your sword or opening a door. And then there’s the Ready action, where you prepare to react to something on someone else’s turn.

Speaking of reactions, these are special moves you can do in response to specific triggers—like casting Feather Fall when you’re pushed off a cliff. You only get one reaction per round, so timing matters.

Lastly, bonus actions are extra moves you can take if your class, spell, or ability says so. Maybe it’s a quick spell for a bard, or a rogue’s cunning movement.

The more you play, the more these options become second nature. At the end of the day, what matters most is knowing that you have choices—and that they can shape the story in powerful ways.

If you want to see these ideas in action and hear some examples, check out the full video above. And if you’re new to D&D, let me know how it’s going for you in the comments!

Cheers,
Brian